02_battle_cry-第9章

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on　then　blasted　the　destroyer's　skin　from　its　framework。　At　last　there　was　nothing　left　but　a　self…consuming　glowing　cloud；　a　war　of　gases　bent　on　mutual　annihilation。　The　energy　flourished　wildly　and　dispersed；　leaving　in　the　end　no　trace　of　itself　nor　its　brief　struggle。


CHAPTER　FOUR

Several　historians　of　the　Robotech　Wars…Rawlins；　Daily；　Gordon；　and　Turno；　to　name　but　a　few…have　advanced　the　claim　that　it　was　Breetai's　decision　＇to　call　up　Khyron's　troops　as　reinforcements＇　that　placed　the　Zentraedi　squarely　on　the　road　to　defeat。　Rawlins；　in　his　two　volume　study；　Zentraedi　Triumvirate：　Dolza；　Breetai；　Khyron；　states：　〃It　was　more　than　a　tactical　blunder。。。Khyron's　use　of　the　dried　leaves　of　the　Invid　Flower　of　Life　had　drastically　affected　his　Zentraedi　conditioning。　Subsequent　research　clearly　demonstrated　that　alkaloids　present　in　the　leaves　had　a　direct　effect　on　the　limbic　system　of　the　brain。　The　Flower　had　the　power　to　stimulate　a　resurgence　of　archaic　patterns　of　behavior。　In　the　case　of　the　Zentraedi；　ironically　enough；　those　behavior　patterns　were　the　ones　which　most　clearly　defined　the　human　condition。。。So　in　this　sense　it　may　be　said　that　Khyron　was　the　most　human　of　them　all。〃
History　of　the　First　Robotech　War；　Vol。　XXXIV

Breetai　was　now　beginning　to　enjoy　this　micronian　battle　game。

〃‘Cat　and　mouse'　did　you　call　it？〃

〃Yes；　my　lord。　Apparently　it　refers　to　a　game　the　stronger　animal　plays　with　the　weaker　before　the　final　kill。〃　

〃Excellent。　You　must　teach　me　their　language；　Exedore。〃

〃Of　course；　sir。　It　is　most　primitive；　easy　to　absorb。

Our　three　operatives　from　surveillance　are　making　rapid　progress。〃

〃Yes。。。I　may　want　to　talk　to　these　Micronians　soon。〃

The　flagship　and　several　of　the　fleet's　scout　and　recon　ships　had　made　a　hyperspace　jump　along　the　projected　course　of　the　SDF…1。　Breetai　had　left　behind　several　cruisers　and　destroyers；　along　with　plenty　of　Battlepods；　to　keep　the　Micronians　busy　while　he　plotted　his　next　move　in　the　game。

The　Zentraedi　mander　smiled　wryly　as　he　viewed　the　traps…vids　of　Zeril's　destruction。　Enhanced…motion　playback　had　captured　the　giant　ship's　final　few　moments　splendidly。　He　had　to　credit　the　Micronians　for　the　unorthodox　nature　of　their　counterattack。　Instead　of　further　depleting　their　power　by　firing　the　main　gun；　they　had　used　one　of　their　oceangoing　vessels　to　ram　Zeril's　destroyer　headlong。　Once　inside；　a　sufficient　amount　of　firepower　must　have　been　unleashed　to　destroy　it。　The　ship　blistered；　glowed；　became　a　veritable　tunnel　of　trapped　photon　energy；　and　exploded。

Yes；　Breetai　was　amused　by　the　challenge　of　illogical　behavior；　it　forced　him　to　step　outside　his　own　conditioning　and　search　for　novel　approaches　to　destruction。

His　thoughts　were　now　interrupted　by　a　muniqu？from　astrogation。　Exedore　relayed　the　message。

〃Sir；　emerging　from　hyperspace…fold。〃

The　posite　projecbeam　disassembled　itself。　Exedore　called　for　an　exterior　view　of　local　space。　Cameras　panned　across　the　unbroken　blackness　and　locked　on　a　small　red　planet；　arid　and　angry…looking。　For　Breetai　it　brought　to　mind　memories　of　Fantoma；　and　the　mining　worlds　he　had　worked　and　patrolled　long　ago。　A　schematic　appeared　on　one　of　the　side　screens　of　the　mand　bowl　showing　the　planetary　system　of　this　yellow　star　the　Micronians　referred　to　as　their　〃sun。〃

〃Mars；〃　said　Exedore；　〃the　fourth　planet。〃

Breetai　turned　to　his　adviser。

〃Has　the　recon　vessel　been　deployed？〃

〃As　you　ordered；　sir。　The　Cyclops　transmissions　are　ing　in　now。〃

The　projecbeam　revealed　an　abandoned　Micronian　base　that　showed　signs　of　an　earlier　battle：　craters　from　explosions　covered　with　the　fine　red　swirling　dust　of　the　planet's　deserts；　a　shuttlecraft　disabled　and　still　in　its　launch　bay；　the　shells　of　buildings　and　fractured　domes。

〃Our　scanners　reveal　no　life　readings；　no　energy　levels　of　any　form　save　minimal　low…level　background　radiation；　mander。〃

Breetai　put　his　massive　hand　to　his　head　and　unconsciously　stroked　the　metal　plate　there。　The　plate　concealed　scar　tissue　that　had　overgrown　the　wounds　received　while　protecting　Zor　from　the　Invid；　now；　it　seemed；　each　time　he　came　close　to　fulfilling　his　imperative…to　capture　the　fortress…the　original　pain　returned。

〃It　would　appear　that　the　Earth　people　abandoned　this　installation。〃

Exedore　studied　the　data　screen。　〃Long…range　surface　scanners　indicate　that　a　military　conflict　took　place　here　and　at　a　neighboring　installation。　Nevertheless；　the　Micronians'　reflex　power　furnaces　are　still　operative；　and　we've　managed　to　tap　into　their　puter　banks　and　access　some　of　the　information。　It　seems　that　most　of　the　inhabitants；　sir；　were　destroyed　in　a　battle　with　their　allied　forces；　and　the　few　that　survived　were　unable　to　escape　the　harshness　of　the　planet　itself。〃

Breetai　continued　to　stroke　his　faceplate。　〃Hmmm。。。see　to　it　that　one　of　the　puters　is　activated　and　the　contents　of　its　memory　transmitted　on　a　hailing　frequency。〃

One　of　Exedore's　eyebrow's　arched。　〃Certainly；　my　lord；　but　why？〃

〃Because　this　abandoned　post　will　make　a　perfect　trap。　I　have　ordered　the　Seventh　Mechanized　Division　of　the　Botoru　Battalion　to　assemble　here　immediately。〃

The　Seventh　had　a　reputation　for　ground…based　savagery　and　more。

〃Impossible；〃　said　Exedore　with　alarm。　〃Surely；　sir；　this　cannot　be；　you　haven't　ordered　up　Khyron's　division？〃

Breetai　smiled　bemusedly　at　his　panion。　〃Indeed　I　have；　and　why　not？〃

〃You're　familiar　with　his　battle　record；　his　reputation。〃

〃What　of　it？〃

〃During　the　Mona　Operation；　he　was　intoxicated　and　ended　up　killing　some　of　his　own　men。〃　Exedore　pressed　his　point。　〃And　in　the　Isyris　battle　zone　he　almost　wiped　out　two　divisions　of　friendly　forces…〃

〃While　successfully　destroying　the　enemy。〃

〃True；　sir；　but　because　of　that　his　own　troops　have　named　him　the　'Backstabber。'〃

Breetai　was　about　to　respond；　when　without　warning　the　bridge　went　on　alert。　Lights　began　to　flash；　and　warning　klaxons　were　sounding　general　quarters。　Exedore　had　already　positioned　himself　at　the　control　pads　of　one　of　the　monitors；　trying　to　ascertain　the　cause。　Breetai　stood　over　him　now　as　data　began　to　flash　across　the　screens。

〃What　is　it？〃　the　mander　demanded。

〃Armed　ships　emerging　from　hyperspace　in　the　midst　of　our　battle　group。　A　collision　appears　imminent！〃

Breetai　turned　to　the　forward　projecbeam。　〃Some　of　the　Micronians'　unorthodoxy！〃

A　card　player　at　a　show　of　hands；　Breetai　readied　himself；　fully　expecting　the　materialization　of　a　squadron　of　Micronian　mecha。　But　what　appeared　instead　were　the　ragtag　ships　of　the　Botoru　Battalion。

Visual　distortions　in　local　space　preceded　their　crazed　arrival；　shimmerings　and　oscillations　in　the　fabric　of　real　time。　Several　vessels　of　Khyron's　battle　group　collided　with　ships　of　the　main　fleet；　spreading　shock　waves　throughout　the　field。　Even　the　flagship　itself　was　rocked　by　debris；　the　force　of　the　impact　strong　enough　to　knock　Exedore　off　his　feet。　Damage　reports　were　pouring　in　to　the　bridge；　debris　appeared　in　the　projecbeam　field。

Exedore　picked　himself　up；　his　voice　was　full　of　anger　when　he　spoke。

〃This　is　happening　just　as　I　expected！　Khyron；　sir；　is　totally　without　discipline！〃

Was　this　an　oversight；　Breetai　asked　himself；　or　just　a　demonstration　of　Khyron's　recklessness？

The　Backstabber's　face　suddenly　appeared　on　the　forward　screen。　Khyron；　long　steel…blue　hair　falling　over　the　collar　of　a　uniform　of　his　own　design；　saluted。　His　face　was　a　curious　mixture　of　boyish　innocence　and　brooding　anger；　Prince　Valiant's　devilish　shadow　with　a　fire　in　his　eyes　that　was　not　quite　Zentraedi。

〃mander　of　the　Seventh　Mechanized　Space　Division　reporting　as　ordered。〃　His　lowered　salute　turned　into　a　mock　wave。　〃Good　to　see　you　again；　mander　Breetai。〃　He　finished　off　with　a　laugh。

〃The　sheer　audacity…〃　Exedore　started　to　say。

A　square　jawed　battle…scarred　warrior　had　appeared　by　Khyron's　side　in　the　projecbeam　field；　sharing　some　sort　of　joke　with　him。　〃Ha！　Just　as　I　thought；　Khyron。　We　crashed　into　four　ships　total。〃

Khyron　tried　to　silence　him；　but　it　was　too　late。

〃You　thought　it　would　be　three　at　best。　I　win　the　bet。〃

〃Be　quiet；